The Town FilesGlendive, Montana
City in Dawson County · population 4,873 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,600
- Household income
- $72,670
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.4
Glendive is a city of 4,873 people in Dawson County, Montana. The median home is worth $182,600, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Montana towns, hipper than 88% of Montana towns, better transit than 85% of Montana towns.
How Glendive ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Glendive is worth $182,600, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $72,670, which is more affordable than 87% of Montana towns. Median rent is $842 a month. 70.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Glendive | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,600 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $842 | $893 |
| Median household income | $72,670 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Glendive
| People | Glendive | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 86.6% |
Weather in Glendive
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 9.2°F. About 14.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glendive since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 27, 1975 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Dawson County since 1996
Dawson County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| August 13, 2021 | Other | DR-4608: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2014 | Flood | DR-4172: Ice Jams And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dawson County
Dawson County had 3,382 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,128 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Glendive itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Glendive
5 public schools with 1,115 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson High School | 9-12 | 336 | 14.0 |
| Jefferson School | PK-2 | 269 | 12.8 |
| Lincoln School | 3-5 | 259 | 14.4 |
| Washington Middle School | 6-8 | 236 | 11.2 |
| Deer Creek School | PK-8 | 15 | 15.0 |
Glendive questions
Is Glendive, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Glendive scores better for retirees than 71% of Montana towns and quieter than 20%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Glendive?
The median owner-occupied home in Glendive is valued at $182,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,670, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $842 a month.
What is the weather like in Glendive?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 9.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.9 inches of precipitation a year and 22.6 inches of snow.
Does Glendive get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glendive since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 27, 1975. The typical Montana town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)